| 17. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the conjunction ki {כִּי | kî} ‘for/because,’ linking this decree to its context. The emphatic infinitive absolute haharem {הַחֲרֵם | ha-ḥărem} ‘utterly destroy’ combines with the Hiphil imperfect tacharimem {תַּחֲרִימֵם | taḥărîmêm} ‘you shall utterly destroy them,’ intensifying the injunction. A sequence of definite nouns connected by vav—hachitti {הַחִתִּי | ha-ḥittî}, vehaemori {וְהָאֱמֹרִי | wə-ʾămôrî}, hakenaani {הַכְּנַעֲנִי | ha-kənᵊʿănî}, veha-perizzi {וְהַפְּרִזִּי | wə-ha-pᵊrizzî}, hahivvi {הַחִוִּי | ha-ḥîwî}, vehayevusi {וְהַיְבוּסִי | wə-ha-yᵉbûsî}—enumerates each people. The final clause kaasher tsivkha Yahweh elohekha {כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוְּךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ | ka-ʾăšer ṣîvvᵊḵā Yəhôwâ ʾĕlōhêkā} ‘just as the LORD your God has commanded you’ reaffirms divine authority. The translation maintains Hebrew word order to preserve the force of the intensification and the cumulative list. |